The Moore Institute of Art, Science and Industry - Philadelphia, PA - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

Quick Description: From 1880 to 1959 Moore occupied an imposing building at Broad & Master Sts, north of City Hall. Originally known as the Phila. School of Design for Women, it began in 1848 as a charitable effort to train "needy and deserving" young women.

”The The Moore Institute of Art, Science and Industry, SW, corner Broad and Master Sts., was known as the Philadelphia School of Design for Women from 1844, when it was founded, until 1932, when it was merged with the Moore Institute, founded in 1921 in accordance with the terms of the will of the late Joseph Moore, Jr. The oldest school of applied art for women in the United States, it occupies a building of which one part was the home of Edwin Forrest, the famous Shakespearean actor. Large class rooms and studies have been added. A five-year course in technical and industrial design, interior decorating, textiles, and period furniture leads to the bachelor of Fine Arts degree.” --- Pennsylvania: A Guide to the Keystone State, 1940; page 289

It began in 1848 as a charitable effort to train "needy and deserving" young women in textile and wallpaper design, wood engraving, and other salable artistic skills. During the 1850s, governance passed from the woman founder to men of the city's financial and manufacturing elite. Curriculum and policies frequently reflected both conflict and compromise among the differing goals of managers, faculty, and students. By 1919 the school claimed thousands of alumnae. After its merger in 1932 with the Moore Institute of Art, Science, and Industry, this experiment in vocational art training continued to flourish as a women's college dedicated to commercial art, in an era when many other single-sex institutions foundered under the impact of changing attitudes towards coeducation.

The Italianate house actually has two NRHP listings, being first recognized as the Edwin Forrest House 21 years before it was listed again as the School of Design. The address of the original NRHP site is 1326 N. Broad Street while this waymark has an address of 1346 N. Broad Street. Both are connected to the same piece of real estate. Today the Forrest homes is called Freedom Theater and has been since 1968. This NRHP waymark is for the house and the rear west addition which make up the theater. A historical marker in front of the right side or 1346 Broad Street, marks the historic spot. The Philadelphia School of Design for Women became the Moore College of Art & Design in 1989. Although the school changed names to the Moore College of Art, it continued to occupy the building until 1960. From 1960 to 1968 it was a community center.

Wikipedia SOURCE has an excellent article on Moore College of Art and Design and this historic structure. It has a picture of the right side of the building before the left side or south end along Broad Street was added sometime in the 60s or 70s. They did a good job as it looks just like the original structure.

Another Wikipedia entry on this sites says The Philadelphia School of Design purchased the house in 1880, and an extensive addition was made westward to Carlisle Street to house art studios. The Master Street façade of the addition was changed with windows made consistent from the older house through the rear. On Google Earth, Westward means to the rear of the Forrest House. The 60's addition is south. Very confusing stuff.

A blue plaque on the eastern most edge of the house along Broad Street marks this historic site as the Forrest house.